Behind the Veil
by ShadoeFae
Summary: The burning had somehow faded away, and all I felt was an empty sensation. I didn't even feel the impact when I connected with the water. The last thing I heard was the muted sound of my name, the whirl of the water around me, and the slowing thud of my heart.
1. Prologue

Author's Note:

This idea has been incessantly buzzing around in my mind for the past few days, and I figured the only way to make it go away was to write about it. I'm sorry to say I don't exactly know where this story may take me, this is my first time writing something other than poetry, so I'll try to do my best. Try and be gently with the newbie over here. Reviews are welcome, yes even the flamers, because I want to get better at this. Also, I REALLY need a beta for this story, I can't catch everything and no one I know is remotely interested in Twilight, so they won't help. So please, someone volunteer in the name of imagination and creativity! I don't want to go back to video games! Anyway enough about me and my wants. Onward towards my (hopefully) glorious creation!

Disclaimer:

Twilight and all its characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. I am in no way shape or form making any sort of profit from this. All original characters are my own should I choose to make any. Yada, yada, yada. I'm sure you know the drill. Here goes nothing!

**Prologue**

As I sat on the cliff's edge, not even the beauty of the scene before me could ease my apprehension as to what I was about to do. The waves crashed against the rocks below the cliff I was waiting upon. The sun refracted gently off the water, causing hints if rainbows to appear in the mist. The sky was clear and there was a breeze so light, it caressed the wisps of hair around my ear like the gentlest of whispers. I thought is was fitting that the most beautiful day I have seen since my stay in Forks would occur when I finally asked her to meet me so that I may finally tell her of my feelings. The woman I had loved the moment I set eyes on her. The woman, who though her touch was as cold as winter's first frost, set my body aflame. The woman, who had become my best friend, my confidante, the center of my world. Alice.

After all her family and myself struggled through, my kidnapping and subsequent biting, the rescue, Alice having to suck the venom from my veins herself so that I wouldn't die, so that I wouldn't have my choice taken from me, I felt that it was time.  
After almost being taken from her without her knowing how I truly felt about her and seeing if there was a way she would feel the same, I knew I couldn't be a coward any longer. I had to take a chance.

I had decided to make this a last-minute decision so that she wouldn't have a vision of this. I needed to catch her unaware so that she may not be able to hide her true feelings. I needed to see everything raw and unguarded so that I could tell how she truly felt for me. If there was even the slightest chance she had considered me, had seen me as something as more than a friend at some point, then I would spend the rest of my days convincing her of my love and trying I find a way to be with her.

I had texted, "I need to speak with you alone," 5 minutes ago. When she immediately texted back asking where I was, I told her I was on a beach near the boundary line of the wolves' territory. I was hoping that such a close proximity to the shifters would further guarantee that Alice wouldn't see what had I decided. Now I just waited for the woman who had so effortlessly taken my heart to arrive.

"Bella?" I stood up, but didn't turn away from the scene in front of me; I was still trying to gather what little courage I had. "What's wrong? What did you need to talk to me about? It felt like something serious from your message it." I took a deep breath and finally faced her. She wore a concerned expression on her face. I felt a pang in my heart. It hurts me when I see Alice distressed; it hurts even more knowing I am the cause. "Don't worry Alice, there's nothing wrong. There's just something important I want to say that I've been meaning to tell you for a long time. I've just been afraid of how you might take it." I see something unfamiliar flash through her eyes, but she remains silent. I take another deep breath and decide that if I don't do it now, I never will be able to work up the courage to do so again.

"Alice, I love..." I stopped suddenly when I felt the pain in my chest increase and start to spread like wildfire. I looked down to see a little dart-like vial protruding from my chest as it finishes injecting me with a clear substance. I look up to see Alice's horror-stricken face. "Bella!" I hear her scream my name, though it sounds like rustling leaves over the rush of blood in my ears. I stumble back in pain. I know what was in that vial now. Only one thing can cause pain like this, something I felt before, something I didn't think I'd feel again unless Alice felt as I do, something that would either let me be with her forever or would cause me a very gruesome death. Someone had shot me with a dart full of venom, just enough to kill me, but not enough to complete the change. All of this flashes through my mind as I take another step and start to fall backwards off the cliff.

"BELLA NO!" Alice screams with what sounds like everything in her. But even with her vampire speed, she is not quick enough to stop my descent. The shock of what was happening before her eyes had her rooted to her spot for just a second too long to save me. The burning had somehow faded away, and all I felt was an empty sensation. I didn't even feel the impact when I connected with the water. The last thing I heard was the muted sound of my name, the whirl of the water around me, and the slowing thud of my heart.


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's Note**:

First off, you guys rock! Thank you for the reviews! They really helped give me a push so I could get something up. I am in the process of writing the next chapter, I promise to make it a lot more interesting. I feel this one is ok, but had I not gotten hit with a category five shitstorm these past couple of days, it would have been better. I was originally going to just make Bella less of a spineless wimp but now she's gonna be a full on badass. I think my writing reflects my mood. Oh well. Be sure to tell me what you think, I'm learning to live off your remarks. :)

**Disclaimer**:

Twilight and all its characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. I am in no way shape or form making any sort of profit from this. All original characters are MINE! Grr!

**Chapter 1**

Some months earlier...

"So this is it huh? I'm surprised it's still in such good shape." I nod my head towards the house my father left me after his death. I was the next of kin, and with no siblings, it automatically fell to me. "Yeah, your father's friends on the reservation took care of it until you were old enough to look after it yourself." Vic said after another inhale from his cigarette.

"Who, Billy Black?" I ask. "I'm surprised you remember, you've been gone a while," he replies. "Yeah, 12 years is a long time," I say quietly. "I used to play with his son Jacob when we were little. I'll have to make sure to go over there and say thank you. Maybe I'll hang out for a while too. It will give me something to do since there's not much here," I chuckle. "You know," he says with a contemplative air, "you could always stay in Phoenix and work for me. We could always use someone with your skills," he said with a smirk.

"Nah Vic." I smirked in return. "I appreciate the offer, but I think I should lay low for a while and live a normal life. Though, if I ever get a little bored in this tiny ass town, I'll be sure to call you first." I grinned. "Whatever you say chica, I'm here if you need me. The movers should be finished shortly; everything you wanted is set up already for you. I made sure that I handled your personal equipment, since I'm sure you would beat someone if anything happened to your babies. I also left you a few presents from me and the guys, to get you off to a good start. Be sure to check the garage when you get time." He winked at me when I raised my eyebrow in response.

"Presents? You know I hate surprises Victor. What did you do?" I ask in a stern voice. "Hey, hey!" He says as he backs away with his hands up. "Don't worry, it's nothing bad! I promise, the boys learned that surprising you does not end well," he said with a grimace. Yeah, I don't do well with surprises, especially badly planned ones. Some mutual acquaintances of ours, since after the incident I refuse to call them friends, decided that they would throw a party for my 17th birthday several months ago. A _surprise _party. But they didn't know a place they could have it where I wouldn't get suspicious. So they decided that they would break into my house and set up everything while I was away and spring the trap on me when I got home. What they didn't count on, was that I built an advanced security network into my place to protect my things from idiots like them who tried to get into my apartment without my permission. When I received a remote transmission about the break in on my phone and saw that there were four intruders in my home, I unleashed hell.

I remotely sealed all the doors and windows, and then proceeded to vent the place with sleeping gas. I wanted them alive so that I could find out what they wanted. In their confusion as to what was happening, the one who was poking around my computer setup stumbled and fell onto said computers and brought all my monitors, hard drives, and other very expensive devices down with him. When I hurried back from my training and discovered that my equipment worth thousands had been destroyed, I quite frankly, went ape shit. I had to repaint and put in new carpet to get rid of the persistent blood stains. I practice mixed martial arts during most of my free time, and I had a lot of free time back then. I didn't kill any of those fools that day, but I beat them within inches of their lives.

Needless to say, they don't come within a mile radius of me anymore because I'm still likely to snap on them. I'm a little better now since they reimbursed me for everything they broke, it took a while since they had to wait to heal and hospital bills to pay and all, and that's not my fucking problem, but I was more forgiving because of Vic. They were some of his childhood pals and he had agreed to grovel for forgiveness for them.

I took a deep breath and relaxed a little, reducing the crease that had formed on my forehead from my severe frown. He let out a deep breath as well. "It's just a good luck with school gift. You're gonna be a junior in high school and these are your formative years after all. You need to make sure you enjoy yourself. We're just making sure you have a good start." He says with a wicked smile. "So just accept it and be happy. You're all in order with the school as well. Class starts in a few days on Monday, so you have time to get settled and look around. Need anything else from me before I go?"

"Nah man, you did good. I owe you a favor for this. Make sure you use it wisely." "A favor from the infamous Bella Muerte? I am honored!" He said before breaking out into his trademark barking laughter. I rolled my eyes as he got himself under control. "But in all seriousness," he gasped, "I know what it means for you to say you owe me one Bella. I won't make you regret that trust." He smiles shyly at me. I offer one in return. I know he would like more than that, but Vic's just not my type. He's handsome alright; at 6' 1" with light brown skin from his Puerto Rican heritage, deep chocolate brown eyes, stylishly cut hair, and a body to die for, he's pretty much perfect. Well, except for one thing. He was born with the wrong equipment. He understands, but I know he secretly hopes that I'll play for his team. It's really too bad, if I was interested in men, I'd be all over that shit. Oh well, the heart wants what wants right? Though, if I'm truthful with myself, I don't think with my heart, but with something a lot lower.

"I know you won't Vic, you've proven to be a good friend." I say trying to distract myself from the urge to call a few old "friends" that I really shouldn't. "I'll keep in touch. I expect you to do the same," I say as I pull him into a hug. "You got it Bella baby, you know I will," he says as he hugs me back. "Now get outta here and go make sure no one has killed themselves yet'" I say as I push him off me. I'm not good with too much affection, it seems like a weakness to me. It lets people know that you care about something. And when people know what you care about, they have something to hold against you.

"Alright, alright. I'm going ok?" He chuckles at my sudden change of mood. I watch him as he gets back into his 2010 Mustang convertible. That thing is beautiful. All black, with silver and white swirls accenting the sides. It had black heated leather seats with white trim, tinted windows, a sound system that rattles other cars, and a few illegal things under the hood to make it a serious contender for the street races Vic liked to participate in when he was in the mood. I'm pretty sure that if I could get away with it, I would spend quite a bit of time just rubbing myself against it like a dog in heat. I loved a well-built vehicle. One of the ways to guarantee you had my attention was to talk car. It's such a turn on.

"You take care of yourself out here ok?" Vic says in a subdued voice, effectively ceasing my eye fucking of his car. "Same to you Vic," I say as I give him a small smile. He nods and closes his door. After I watch him drive off, I turn back to the house. "Well let's see what we have to work with," I say to myself as I walk towards my new home.


End file.
